Turkish President Abdullah Gul approved a law on January 18, 2008 banning smoking in restaurants and bars, his office said, in a move aimed at bringing the nation of hardened smokers into line with much of the rest of Europe. The ban l included cigars, pipes and the traditional water pipe, a popular attraction for tourists in Istanbul and Turkey's coastal resorts as well as for locals. Many Turks doubt that the ban will be properly implemented in a country where rules and regulations are regularly flouted. (Writing by Gareth Jones, edited by Richard Meares) (Turkey's president approves smoking ban, Reuters, 1/18/2008.)